Electrochemical device comprising a hydrogen sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10790524-B2
Application number	US-201816033658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2018
Priority date	Jul 12, 2017
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

An electrochemical device includes at least one electrochemical cell, including a membrane electrode assembly and bipolar plates through which at least one discharge manifold passes, the membrane electrode assembly including an active zone and a connection zone; at least one hydrogen sensor including an anode positioned in the connection zone and including a catalyst suitable for ensuring the oxidation of the hydrogen, and a cathode opposite the anode; a voltage source; a current sensor; and a computing unit, suitable for detecting the presence of hydrogen from the measured value of the electric current.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrochemical device, comprising at least one electrochemical cell, comprising:
a membrane electrode assembly formed of an electrolytic proton-exchange membrane, of a first electrode in contact with a first face of the membrane, and of a second electrode in contact with a second, opposite face of the membrane;
two bipolar plates, between which the membrane electrode assembly is disposed, at least one first discharge manifold passing through said bipolar plates and in fluidic communication with the first face of the membrane, the membrane electrode assembly comprising an active zone delimited by the first and second electrodes, and a connection zone disposed between the active zone and the at least one first discharge manifold; and
at least one hydrogen sensor, comprising:
an anode positioned in the connection zone in contact with the first face and including a catalyst suitable for ensuring the oxidation of the hydrogen, and a cathode in contact with the second face and located opposite the anode,
a voltage source configured to apply a voltage between the anode and the cathode via an electric circuit,
a current sensor, connected to the voltage source, configured to measure an electric current flowing in the electric circuit, and
a computing unit, connected to the current sensor, configured to detect the presence of hydrogen on the first face from a measured value of the electric current.

2. The electrochemical device according to claim 1 , wherein the computing unit is configured to calculate an amount of hydrogen oxidized at the anode from the measured value of the electric current.

3. The electrochemical device according to claim 1 , wherein the computing unit is configured to calculate an amount of hydrogen circulating in the connection zone on the first face, from the measured value of the electric current.

4. The electrochemical device according to claim 1 , wherein said two bipolar plates include a first bipolar plate with a first fluid distribution circuit in communication with said first discharge manifold and comprising at least one distribution channel superimposed on the anode.

5. The electrochemical device according to claim 1 , wherein each bipolar plate is formed of at least one sheet made of an electrically conductive material.

6. The electrochemical device according to claim 5 , wherein the anode and the cathode of said at least one hydrogen sensor are electrically insulated from the bipolar plates.

7. The electrochemical device according to claim 5 , wherein the electrolytic membrane comprises a protruding portion located in an edge of the connection zone, the voltage source comprising a first conductive track attached to the first face of the membrane and connecting the anode to the protruding portion and a second conductive track attached to the second face and connecting the cathode to the protruding portion.

8. The electrochemical device according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second conductive tracks have a thickness less than or equal to 10 μm.

9. The electrochemical device according claim 1 , wherein said two bipolar plates include a first and a second bipolar plate, wherein each of said first and second bipolar plates is formed of a plate made of an electrically insulating material, and comprising conductive lines arranged so as to polarize, respectively, the first electrode independently of the anode, and the second electrode independently of the cathode.

10. The electrochemical device according to claim 9 , wherein the first bipolar plate is made in one piece, and has an inner face and an outer face, the inner face having structurings that form a fluid distribution circuit, the first bipolar plate being suitable for applying a first electric potential to the first electrode and a second electric potential to the anode that is different from the first potential.

11. The electrochemical device according to claim 10 , wherein the insulating material of the first bipolar plate defines the inner face and the opposite outer face, the inner face comprising fluid distribution channels that are separated longitudinally in twos by a longitudinal wall that comes into contact with the first electrode or with the anode via a bearing surface, electrically conductive lines extending on the bearing surfaces of longitudinal walls and being suitable, for a first set thereof, for applying an electric potential to the first electrode and, for a second set thereof, for applying a different electric potential to the anode.

12. The electrochemical device according to claim 11 , wherein the first bipolar plate comprises a first conductive line and a second conductive line, referred to as contact-making lines, extending on the outer face, and first and second conductive vias extending between the outer face and the inner face in the longitudinal walls, the first contact-making conductive line being suitable for applying an electric potential to the first set of conductive lines through conductive vias, and the second contact-making conductive line being suitable for applying a different electric potential to the second set of conductive lines through the other conductive vias.

13. The electrochemical device according to claim 1 , comprising a second discharge manifold in fluidic communication with said second face and a second fluid distribution circuit in communication with said second discharge manifold, the second electrode being suitable for ensuring an oxidation of hydrogen circulating in the second distribution circuit or being suitable for ensuring a reduction of protons that have diffused across the electrolytic membrane.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Verdin Baptiste
• Vincent Remi

Classifications

• H01M8/0269

  Separators, collectors or interconnectors including a printed circuit board · CPC title

• C25B9/75

  having bipolar electrodes · CPC title

• C25B9/19

  with diaphragms · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title